i of the navy. i hope you all enjoyed the reception on board last night. [applause] i would say that kent is a pacific nation and what is happening in northeast, southeast asia, in fact across the entire pacific is vital interest to canada. china is canada's second largest trading partner. our prime minister has visited twice in the last couple years. most recently earlier this year. chief of defense staff visited beijing recently. we've had very senior chinese military delegations here. china is emerging as a global power, and it's the engine of the global power is its economy. and, of course, the global economy floats on salt water. and so it's became to shift sort of intro focuses much more maritime flavored one. and for canada as a maritime nation, to ensure, enable china as it emerges to become part of the globalized system, and to, in fact, make it better as